Top-prop for automobiles and carriages.



- APPLICATION FILED APR. l, l9l3.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

7 //v VEN TOR.

' A 7TORNEY.

ALIVEON W. CURTIS, OF-CORTLAND, NEW YORK.

TOP-PROP FOR AUTOMOBILES AND CARRIAGES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

Application filed April 1, 1913. Serial No. 758,145.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALMON WV. CURTIS, ofCortland, in the county of Cortland, in the State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Top-Props for Automobiles andCarriages, of which the following, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in top props forautomobiles and carriages and refers more particularly to the means forbracing the prop sections against relative movement when assembled foruse.

The main object, therefore, of my present invention is to prevent theturning of the bow supporting sections of the props upon their companionsections and also to more effectively brace the rear props where theload and strains are most severe owing to the wind pressure on the topwhen the car is in motion. In other words, I have sought to providesimple means for centering and bracing the top receiving sections of.the props without adding to their weight or cost of manufacture, and atthe same time to facilitate and expedite the work of assembling theseparts upon the seat or body of the vehicle.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of my invention willbe brought out in the following description.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view in dotted lines of acarriage seat equipped with my improved top props. Fig. 2 is an enlargedperspective view of one of the front props which is commonly termed agoose-neck. Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the reardrop props and adjacent end of the connecting rail. Fig. 4 is anenlarged perspective view of a modified rear prop, technically known asa solid prop. Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a front propsimilar to Fig. 2, except that the seat section is slightly modified.-Fig. 6 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a portion of the dropprop shown in Fig. 3. Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective views of theinterlocking ends of the front prop sections shown in Fig. 1.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I have shown, bydotted lines, a carriage seat A has equipped with a pair of front props-1 and an additional pair of rear props 2 having their bow-sup portingsections forming the terminal ends of a shifting rail 3 which passesaround the upper edge of the back of the seat.

Each prop comprises two sections, one of which is adapted to be securedto the seat and may be termed the seat section, while the other sectionconstitutes a direct support for the bows of the top and may be termedthe bow-supporting section, both props being made of steel forgings orequivalent metal. l

' The seat section of each'prop preferably consists of an eye bolthaving an annular flange or shoulder 4-, an apertured head 5 and athreaded shank or bolt 6, as shown in Figs. 1 to 6 and 8, or a pluralityof bolts 6-, as shown in Fig. 5, the threaded shank or bolts beingpassed through suitable apertures in the side of the seat and areengaged by nuts 7- for drawing the flange 4 firmly against the outerface of said seat, leaving the apertured head 5 projecting laterallysome distance therefrom. The head of each eye bolt'is provided with aV-shaped groove 8- extending diametrically across one side thereofparallel with the axis of the bolt. The object of this particulardisposition of the groove relatively to the bolt is to permit theformation of a relatively deep groove, without weakening the head orincreasing its size or Weight, thereby permitting the use of a V-shaperib of equal depth on the companion section to facilitate and expeditethe work of assembling these parts, one upon the other, and also to moreeffectively brace or look the sections against relative turning whenadjusted for use. Each bow-supporting section is also provided with ahead 9 of substantially the same diameter as that of the apertured head-5- of the eye bolt with which it is adapted to cooperate, and isprovided with a V-shape rib 10 of approximately the same form and sizeas the groove 8 of bolt head and is also provided with a threaded shankor. bolt 11 integral with and projecting from the center of the ribmidway between its ends and adapted to pass-through the head of the eyebolt for engagement by a suitable nut -12-, by which the two parts arefirmly clamped together.

It is now clear that when the seat sections are properly secured 'inplace and the bow supporting sections placed therein, the latter areself-centering and self-alining, so that it is only necessary to applyand tighten the nuts to firmly lock such sections in proper positionagainst relative turning movement, the registering V-shape ribs andgrooves serving to brace the entire top against distortion and to holdthe prop sections in operative engagement in case the nuts should becometemporarily loosened.

The description thus far given applies to both the front and rear props,but'owing to the fact that by far the greatest load and strain iscarried by the rear props, whether drop or solid, the ribbed sectionsfor the rear props are preferably connected by a brace rail -3 whichfollows the contour of the upper portion of the back of the seat andserves to additionally brace such sections against relative movement intheir respective holders or seat sections. The end of this rail and,therefore, the ribbed sections of the rear props, may be provided withdrop hangers -15, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, or with single lateral arms16, as shown in Fig. 4, but in either case the V-shape ribs. of onesection entering the V-shape grooves of the other section positivelylocks said sections against relative turning and reduces the strain onthe rail,

which in turn additionally braces the corre sponding sections againstany tendency to turn.

What I claim is:

A top prop for carriages comprising a one-piece seat-supported sectionand a onepiece bow-supporting section, said sections having abuttingfaces provided, respectively, with a single V-shaped groove and a singleV-shaped rib fitting in the groove, and each extending diametricallyacross the sections from side to side whereby relative rotary movementof the sections is prevented, one of the sections having a threadedshank passing through an aperture in the other section between the endsof the groove and rib, and provided with a nut for drawing the rib intothe groove, said rib and groove extending diametrically of the aperture.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of March1913.

ALMON W. CURTIS.

Witnesses:

H. E. CHASE, EVA E. GREENLEAF.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). C.

